Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways to Japa speaks to real people and explores the endless reasons and paths they take to japa to Canada and beyond
Dolapo spent months job-hunting in Lagos with no replies, then took her sister’s advice to route a move to Canada through a UK master’s degree. In this interview, she walks us through the UK student visa, the Express Entry timeline, a career pivot into tech, and why life in Calgary is almost perfect for her.
Where are you based, and when did you leave Nigeria?
I live in Calgary, Canada. I left Nigeria for the UK in March 2021, and I moved to Canada on June 24, 2024. So it was a two-step journey for me.
What was life like for you in Nigeria before you left?
Life was pretty good, to be honest. I lived in Lagos, and life wasn’t too bad, but it was frustrating. I completed my undergraduate degree in microbiology and finished my NYSC in November 2019. After that, I started applying for and interviewing for jobs, but I just wasn’t getting any responses.
It got to a point where I stopped applying entirely, about seven or eight months before I travelled. My parents told me to learn a skill, so I’d stay productive while I focused on my master’s plans, and that’s what I did.
I can imagine how tiring that must have been. When did the idea of leaving first come up?
Honestly, way before all of that. I’d wanted to leave since I was in 100 level, so the idea had been at the back of my mind for years. NYSC, the job search, and the silence just made it feel more urgent. And I wasn’t thinking about it alone. My sister was already in Canada, and I hadn’t seen her in about seven years by the time I finally moved, so she was also whispering the idea in my ear.
Okay, so how did you eventually decide on the UK?
Now that I think of it, my sister is the reason. She suggested I do my master’s in the UK first so I’d earn educational points, and that moving to Canada would be easier than applying directly from Nigeria. That became the plan. I was supposed to leave in January, but visa delays pushed it to March 2021, and I went straight from Nigeria to the UK.
Wow, okay! How did you choose your master’s programme?
I chose Public Health, even though my undergrad was in microbiology. It was passion, honestly. I wasn’t thinking about what would be useful in Canada later. I applied to several universities and settled on the University of Chester.
How was the UK student visa process in 2021?
It was straightforward. I needed to submit some documents and proof of funds, and pay for my health insurance and school fees. I didn’t do any interview, and it’s very different from the rejection rates people talk about now, so I guess the rules might be changing.
What were your first weeks in the UK like?
Wild. I arrived in Chester in March 2021, at the peak of COVID, so I had to quarantine for seven days. Even so, I was shocked by how reliable everything was and how peaceful it felt. My British housemates were so welcoming, and they even gave me a jacket for the change in weather.
Academically, though, it was depressing. Classes were online, from my room, for a whole year. Being indoors almost all the time wasn’t really good for me; I felt so tired, and it was genuinely hard to keep up academically.
That’s so sad. How did you manage your living expenses while studying, especially during the COVID era?
I worked part-time within the 20-hour weekly limit for students. I was a support worker earning £11 an hour, and I also trained at a local coffee shop, where I was promoted to trainer within three months.
What did your work look like after that?
After graduating from my master’s, I moved to Liverpool because I wanted a bigger city and more opportunities. I got a full-time job as a Level Two Complaints Handler at a bank, handling loan and credit card complaints. I was there for one year and eight months before I decided it was time to leave for Canada.
What exactly made you start the Canada process?
To be very honest, life in the UK was so amazing for me; I was at peace, earning money, and living my life. I had genuinely even given up on the thought of moving to Canada. Life was good, and I enjoyed the banking job, but there was no employer sponsorship. So between January and March 2023, I started the process for Canadian permanent residency, on my sister’s advice.
Okay, let’s get into Express Entry. What did you do first?
I requested an Educational Credential Assessment from World Education Services (WES) for my master’s degree; this is very important, especially if you’re applying through the Express Entry pool. After that, I took the IELTS in March 2023.
Love it. When did you get your Invitation to Apply?
If I remember correctly, I received my ITA on June 8, 2023.
What were some key details you implemented on your profile that you believe made you eligible?
I used my NYSC work experience at Landmark University, with a reference letter. I made sure the reference letter followed the exact format required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and I left no stone unturned; every single detail on my profile was accurate and verifiable. That’s a key thing to pay attention to.
Nice! Then what happened after the ITA?
I did my biometrics in London on September 7, 2023. I got my PR approval on October 12, 2023, and my stamped passport on October 30, 2023.
Which Express Entry category did you apply under? I know healthcare and French draws are big right now.
I applied under the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) route. I’d thought about using healthcare, but I needed a certain number of total hours worked, and I don’t think I had that at the time. I didn’t use French either. It was a federal application, not a provincial nomination, so I wasn’t limited to one province and could live anywhere in Canada. I know they ask for a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, and I had one, but I can’t remember which one I picked.
Interesting! How did you feel when the PR came through?
Shaky and very nervous, because I didn’t know what starting a new life in a new country would be like. But I started thinking fast. I applied for my Schengen visa and used the time to travel around Europe, which I’d never done before. I had about nine months before my UK visa expired, so I made the most of it. I also started applying for jobs in Canada. I was getting interviews and a lot of opportunities, but none of them came through, so I just kept trying my best.
I hadn’t seen my sister in a long time, so I was excited, but I was also anxious about missing my life in the UK more than I’d enjoy Canada. About two months before I moved, I started getting happy. I accepted that if I didn’t get a job before moving, it might be for a reason, and I started praying about it. I decided to prepare spiritually and financially instead of letting the anxiety win. I stopped my banking job on June 13, two weeks before travelling, and picked up extra support worker shifts so I’d have savings while I was packing.
What were your first weeks in Calgary like?
I still had culture shock, even after living in the UK. My sister picked me up from the airport, and when I saw the houses, I asked her, “Is this how the houses are?” Everything was so neat and organised, much more than in the UK.
I stayed with her and my brother-in-law for about six months, which gave me a soft landing. In the UK, I’d spent seven days alone in one room because of COVID, so landing in Calgary, I was extremely happy. I could go anywhere, and it felt like home.
That’s so nice. Were you worried about not having a job?
I didn’t get a job for the first four months, but I wasn’t sad or depressed. That was a big difference from the UK, where your stay is tied to your job or visa. Here I was on PR, so I could rest. It still took some getting used to. Some nights I’d catch myself applying for jobs at midnight, and I’d tell myself, “Calm down, you’re on PR now.” That UK wiring was still in my head.
How did you find work in Canada?
I thought of Canada as a clean slate. I’d done banking only because it was what I got, so I started applying for Public Health roles. I kept getting interviews and even reached the reference stage, but things stalled there. I think my references were limited, since I’d done few jobs in that field. I was still using references from my SIWES and undergrad supervisors.
After a few months, I told myself that if I kept looking only at Public Health, I might stay stuck. So I widened my search to Customer Service, Product Specialist roles, anything. You can always tune your CV to customer service if you have the skills.
And where did that lead?
My first job was in-person Customer Service for a coffee company. I liked it, but it was winter, and I wasn’t driving yet, so I told myself I wasn’t going to freeze to death. I left one month after I got a remote Product Specialist role and realised I didn’t need a certification for it.
Once I was in that role, I started thinking about Product Management. I did a Certified Scrum Product Owner certification, took Python courses on Udemy, and joined UI/UX design lectures at odd hours. I was just putting myself out there because I didn’t want to settle for one role if I could get a better one. I changed roles again within eight months, and it came with better pay.
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Wow, that’s quite the pivot. Any advice for people stuck job hunting?
People are right when they say getting a job in Canada is very hard. But a lot of them are fixated on one dream job. Canada has a wealth of opportunities, but you have to be flexible and move on to the next best thing. I forgot about Public Health. If it wasn’t doing it for me, I moved on, and I’ve kept that mindset of growth and evolution since then.
Is your pay enough for the cost of living in Calgary?
The cost of living is high. Things are more expensive here. One reason I chose Product Management is that I considered the career progression and pay. Passion is good, but it only gets you so far, and sometimes money is leverage.
I looked at what I could earn at the senior and lead levels in Product Management, and I realised it was a good financial fit for me. So yes, what I earn is very okay for my cost of living. I drive; I can think of owning properties, and I can invest. In the UK, I had enough money, but I wasn’t thinking that way. I’m still looking for more, but I’m no longer doing two jobs as I did in the UK.
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What’s been the hardest part of living there?
The weather, number one. In summer, everyone is outside, but when it’s cold, you get stuck in a routine just to make the best of the time. My job has been remote since my first month, which helps, but it has made me more introverted. I used to be very extroverted, but now I’m mostly indoors.
The second thing is that everything is far apart. Building a community has been really difficult, because meeting up is hard when it’s cold or when you have to drive 30 minutes. People are nice and polite, but also very conservative. I don’t like that about here compared to the UK, or even Nigeria, funny enough. If I could move, I still would, but for now I love it here.
What do you love most about Canada?
The stability. When your stay isn’t threatened, you can finally think about buying a house or a car. I never thought about that in the UK. I have peace of mind, and I finally feel like I’m home. It feels calm, and you can raise children here. My brother is here now too, so there’s family. Canada in general is boring, but those things give me a sense of community.
Do you miss Nigeria?
I do. I haven’t been back since I left. In the UK, I really wanted to go since it’s not far off, but the idea just left my mind, and I never went. Now it isn’t a priority. I miss my parents and my childhood friends, and I miss the way of life, the community, and the feeling that home is still home.
I still cook Nigerian food here, so I don’t really miss that. But with the news I hear from Nigeria these days, I ask myself if it’s worth it, and whether I’d rather have my family come here.
Any plans to move back?
No, absolutely not.
If someone wanted to leave Nigeria today, what’s your one piece of advice?
Start looking for information, but don’t waste time on it. A lot of people are so busy searching for the right information that they never act. You can still take tangible actions while you’re collecting information. Don’t sleep on the opportunity itself.
When I moved in 2021, the UK was looking for students. When I moved to Canada in 2024, Express Entry was like water. It’s not the same now, because there are rules and you need certain experiences. Countries don’t leave windows open for long. Healthcare and French are the hot routes people are talking about now, but once they get the numbers they need, it might change.
Looking back, are there any mistakes you’d tell people to avoid?
Having my sister go ahead of me helped a lot. She shared what she’d learned from her own experience and guided me through the process, so I had someone I could ask questions and learn from, which I am very grateful for. I’d say having someone who’s gone before you is worth a lot. Nothing else comes to mind right now.
On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your life in Canada?
A big nine.
Ooh, why not a ten?
The weather is one thing. If I’d come straight from Nigeria, I’d say ten out of ten. But I lived in the UK, so there’s always that little voice comparing. I spent about two years brooding over whether I’d go back once I got my citizenship, but I don’t want that anymore.
The other thing is community. I have family here, and I’ve made some friends, but building a community here feels different from back home, and it’s been more difficult than I expected. I’m naturally very social and love having people around me.
And what bumped it up to a nine?
I got married a few months ago, and now I have a life here that I’m building. In the UK, I was just focused on other things. Social media has helped too. Most of the friends I’ve made in Canada came from Instagram, with people reaching out to me. Some of them became my bridesmaids. I’m so grateful to social media for that.
Congratulations again, that’s amazing! Do you think it’ll ever reach a ten?
Maybe in the next year, while I keep putting myself out there to build community. For now, I’m so grateful. God has been so good, so I wouldn’t be ungrateful and put it any lower.
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